Larissa Goliti (1939 – 2022)
We lost our neighbor and community leader Larissa Goliti on June 13, 2022. Larissa lived on Pressley Road for 30 years and loved our community. She served on the board of directors of the Bennett Valley Community Association from 2006 to 2021, during which time she was vice president for 10 years and membership coordinator for 14 years. Her leadership, guidance, and wisdom were invaluable.
Larissa was born in Kharkov, Ukraine, of Greek and Armenian ancestry. Late in World War II her family fled west in a horse cart desperately trying to get to the allied lines before the war ended. Her grandfather bribed soldiers at check points with bottles of slivovitz (a plum brandy). After living for several years in a United Nations refugee camp in Regensburg, Germany, Larissa’s family immigrated to Fresno, California, when she was about ten years old.
Larissa attended Fresno State University where she obtained a degree in Education. She married Edward Goliti, Jr., and raised her three children with him in Novato where the family owned and ran the horse ranch Redwood Stables. In 1989, she and Ed refurbished the old Dairyman’s Milling building on Petaluma Boulevard and shortly thereafter moved to Bennett Valley.
No one was prouder of this country than Larissa. She often hosted 4th of July parties, ostensibly to see the fireworks over Rohnert Park which were often obscured by fog. She would play at full blast Kate Smith’s God Bless America and John Philip Sousa marching tunes.
Larissa loved dogs, and nothing would light her up more than petting a dog
She was proud of her Armenian roots and helped organize and prepared most of the food for the annual summer picnics for Armenians of the North Bay.
Larissa had a generous spirit, a hair trigger smile, plenty of laughter, and abundant wisdom.
She is survived by her children, Annette Gutierrez, Susie Goliti, and John Goliti along with her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
In her memory, please consider helping Ukrainian refugees via The World Central Kitchen ot a donation to The Humane Society.
—Craig S. Harrison
